Grand Slam
CORY band have succeeded once again in winning one of the most prestigious brass band competitions in Britain and Europe, namely the 2016 Brass In Concert Championship.
They gave an outstanding performance at Gateshead over last weekend gaining 198 points out of 200 with Grimethorpe in second place with 182 points.
This was clearly an exceptional performance as they were playing against 10 of the best bands in Britain and Europe.
This year Cory has won every major title in the brass band contesting calendar which has never been done before.
What a ‘Grand Slam!’ and Wales should be proud of having the best band in the world.
Cory are setting new standards in the musical genre of brass bands and in addition to winning the 2016 Brass in Concert Championship and £5,500 they gained the following individual silverware awards; winning Musical Director (Philip Harper); Best Cornet (Tom Hutchinson); Best Flugel (Helen Williams); Best Euphonium (Glyn Williams); Best Bass Section; Best Programme Content and Best Quality Performance.
Whenever I write about Cory I find that I begin to run out of superlatives!
The third and final contest of The League of Wales Brass Band Championships to find the Welsh Champions of 2016 took place on Saturday, No- vember 26, at the Leisure Centre, Merthyr Tydfil and after a great day of music making the results were as follows:
1st – Cwmtawe & District Youth (W Pedrick); 2nd – Phoenix Brass (L Jenkins); 3rd – Oakdale Silver (K Bowden); Best Instrumentalist – Matthew Jenkins (Euphonium, Phoenix Brass); Youngest Player – Samuel Lewis Howell age 9 (Phoenix Brass).
– Cwmtawe & District Youth (Wayne Pedrick); Runner up – Phoenix Brass.
1st Usk (J Jones); 2nd – Newport Borough (R Hackett); 3rd – Upper Rhondda (J Thomas); 4th – Severn Tunnel (G Jameson); 5th – Withdrawn (Gwaun Cae Gurwen (J Hutcherson)); Best Instrumentalist – Jamie Jones (Euphonium, Usk); Best Horn Section – Usk.
– Newport Borough (Robin Hackett); Runner up – Usk.
1st – Briton Ferry (J Pearce); 2nd – Thomas Coaches Mid Rhondda (A Gibbs); 3rd – Abertillery (J Ruck); 4th – Crosskeys (M Davies); 5th – Crwbin (C Roberts); 6th – Penclawdd (T.Small); 7th – Ynyshir (G Davies); 8th – RAF St Athan (A Morton). Best Instrumentalist – David Edwards (Soprano Cornet, Briton Ferry).
– Briton Ferry (Jeff Pearce); Runner up – Penclawdd.
1st – Ebbw Valley (G Ritter); 2nd – Abergavenny Borough (S O’Neil); 3rd – BTM (J Hutcherson); 4th – Lewis Merthyr (C Roberts); 5th – Blaenavon Town (L Turner); 6th – Parc & Dare (A